Mounting Dissent
by aviatrix8
Summary: An unexpected look through the eyes of certain unsung members of Eliwood's army... Their mounts!


Copyright, Aviatrix8, 2004. Fire Emblem and all related characters are property of Nintendo et al., and are used without permission. 

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After months of writer's block, I finally managed to finish a story! So now, for something a little different... 

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Fire Emblem fanfic: 

"Mounting Dissent" 

by Avi

It was a relatively peaceful day at the current encampment of Lord Eliwood's army... At least, as peaceful as it ever got in a travelling mercenary company. 

However, in a certain area of the camp, that peace was about to be disturbed... 

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Verde glared over at her travelling partner, in annoyance. As they often worked together, Rosso often got on her nerves, but he was really irritating her at the moment... 

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. As Verde marched towards her partner's side, she promptly reached over and poked him hard... With her nose. 

Rosso pulled his head out his feedbag, to glare at indignantly at Verde. "What?" 

The mare shook her head and snorted. "What do you think you're doing, Rosso?" 

The bay gelding rolled his eyes. "I don't know... Eating?" 

"Exactly!" retorted Verde, tossing her chestnut mane out of her eyes. "You know you shouldn't be stuffing yourself full of oats like that!" 

"Hey! I'll have you know I got these oats as a reward for a stellar performance in battle the other day!" Rosso sniffed and held his head up proudly. 

Verde sighed to herself. She could never understand how she and Rosso got saddled with riders that were so opposite in personality to themselves... Then again, only Rosso's rider had the stoic nature to curb the gelding's headstrong personality... Just as she had the even temper to balance out her rider's wild impulses. 

The gelding then interrupted the mare's train of thought. "Say Verde, when do you think we'll be able to go into battle again?" asked Rosso eagerly. "I can't wait to be able to show some of the pretty fillies my some of my combat skills!" The bay then whinnied and pawed the ground in excitement. 

Verde restrained herself from reminding Rosso that he was a gelding, since she knew he was sensitive about it... Fortunately, she was saved from replying to her stablemate, as another mare walked up to them. 

"Hello Rowenie," greeted Verde politely. The other mare, a sorrel, shook away the mane that fell perpetually in front of her face, in a manner of greeting. 

"Hello Verde, Rosso," replied Rowenie; Rosso seemed to preen at her greeting. "Um, you haven't seen any of the wyverns around, have you?" she asked, a bit nervously. 

"Er, no... Why?" asked Verde, in a curious tone. 

"I think they're after the food in my saddlebags." Rowenie indicated the packs on her back with a turn of her head. "And I don't want them eating our provisions, so please, if you see them, would you mind not telling that I passed this way?" she pleaded. 

"Anything for a lady," assured Rosso. 

"Thanks a lot, guys!" said the mare, relieved. As she started to walk away, she then looked over her shoulder and added, "Please don't tell Sarge you saw me either, okay?" 

"Sure thing!" Verde called after her. Rowenie then trotted away hurriedly, as the other two horses watched her go. 

"Ahem!" 

At that sound, both horses stiffened; Verde and Rosso turned around slowly to see a large, brown warhorse with soup-plate hooves staring at them... The two horses promptly stood at attention. 

"Hmph... At ease, soldiers," said the old warhorse grumpily. 

"What can we do for you, Sarge?" asked Verde, in a careful tone. 

"You haven't seen my new recruit anywhere, have you?" grumbled Sarge. "That filly needs to put some more meat on her bones... Like Lenore, over there." The warhorse indicated a sturdy, white mare to his far right, with a toss of his head. 

"She makes a fine warcharger," said Sarge approvingly. "Unlike this new girl..." He shook his head. "Have you seen her?" he asked again, eyeing the two horses beadily, as they both began to sweat. 

"Um... No," answered Verde. As extra insurance, she lashed out a hoof towards Rosso to make sure he kept quiet. 

"Hmph. Well, that's too bad... I was hoping to drill in some more training into that girl," mused Sarge, who seemed to ignore Rosso's whinny of dismay. "Well, if you see her, be sure to tell her I'd like to see her, on the double." 

"Certainly, sir," replied Rosso, sounding rather strained. 

"Good soldiers! You are dismissed." The old warhorse then walked away, causing Verde and Rosso to relax considerably. 

As soon as Sarge was out of earshot, however, Rosso shot the mare a hurt look. "You know, you didn't have to kick me like that!" he told Verde. 

"Sorry, Rosso," said Verde apologetically. "It was a reflex action." 

Rosso was about to make a cutting remark, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye that distracted him. 

"Hello, Duchess," he said aloud, in his most charming voice. 

The roan mare walking by stopped in her tracks to look at Rosso, then lowered her gaze shyly. 

"Oh, hello Rosso," replied Duchess demurely. 

Verde was suddenly struck with the urge to kick Rosso again, but restrained herself from doing so... Duchess always reminded Verde of her rider; she had the same delicate beauty and quiet dignity as her owner did. 

Meanwhile, Duchess pawed the ground uneasily as Rosso continued to flirt with her shamelessly. 

"Um, excuse me, Rosso..." Duchess suddenly interjected, "But I... Have to go now..." She then quickly fled. 

"Wait, Duchess! Come back!" said Rosso, in dismay. 

The gelding was about to chase after her, when Verde stepped in front his path. 

"Stop that!" she rebuked. "What will the others think?" Verde then tossed her head in disgust and snorted. "Some disciplined warcharger you are! You know, sometimes I wish I had Lone Wolf as a stablemate instead of you..." 

"Why?" asked Rosso. "He never says anything, and he avoids all the other horses!" 

"Well, it would be a welcome change of pace..." grumbled Verde. 

The ensuing arguement between the two horses was then interrupted, as a large shadow was suddenly cast over them both. 

"Er, pardon me..." began a voice far above them. 

Verde and Rosso looked up to see a huge, green wyvern looming above them; it gazed down at the two horses curiously. 

Rosso was the first one to find his voice, and swallowed visibly. "What can we do for you, Hyperion?" 

"Um..." It should be impossible for a wyvern to look sheepish, but this one did. "You guys wouldn't happen to know where I can find some food, would you? I'm starving!" 

"Er..." Rosso found himself walking in front of his feedbag protectively, and as an afterthought, Verde as well. Rosso wasn't sure if wyverns considered horses food, but he wasn't about to take the chance! 

"Sorry, 'fraid not, Hyperion," replied the gelding, as brightly as he could manage. 

"Oh..." The wyvern looked despondant at this. "Umbriel's going to be upset," he said, mostly to himself. "Her owner didn't give her enough books to eat..." 

Rosso found himself shuddering at the the mention of the other wyvern; she had a temperment that was as bitter as her owner's. 

Hyperion sagged for a moment, then brightened. "Maybe I can find that packhorse with all the food again... Or better yet, the wagon with all the supplies!" 

And with a beat of his wings, the wyvern flew off, nearly bowling over the two horses. 

It was only then that Verde finally managed to find her voice. "Hyperion! Please try not to eat all the supplies again! The army needs them!" she called out, after his retreating back. 

"He's gone, you know," pointed out Rosso. 

"I know," sighed the mare, and rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Geez, what next?" 

As Verde looked upwards, her eyes suddenly widened, and she shoved Rosso aside bodily. "Hey, look out!" 

The mare pushed her partner away just in time for a pair of pegasi to land on either side of them, sandwiching the two horses in the middle. 

"Oops! I'm so sorry!" said one of the pegasi apologetically. 

"Don't mention it, Huey," answered Verde, rather dazed. 

"Yeah, sorry about that," echoed the other pegasi easily. He then turned and began nosing around in Rosso's feedbag. "Say, you wouldn't happen to have any of those 'noble carrots' I keep hearing about, would you?" 

"Hey!" cried out Rosso indignantly. "Murphy, those are my oats!" The gelding quickly shoved himself between the pegasus and his feedbag. 

Verde was about to step in and break up the impending fight, when she was distracted by a flutter of wings behind her... She turned around just in time to see a third pegasi land lightly in front of her. 

"I must apologize for the rudeness of my flightmates, Verde," said the third pegasus politely. "I hope you weren't hurt in any way?" 

Verde found herself pawing the ground shyly. "No, of course not, Stewie..." 

A series of stompings and snorts was then heard behind the two mounts, causing Verde to sigh. "I guess we should stop those two from fighting over those oats, huh?" 

Stewie heaved a similar sigh. "I suppose you're right, Verde..." 

Just then, the pegasus's ears perked up. "Hold... I don't think that was the only source of the commotion..." 

Verde suddenly looked alert. "Are we under attack?" 

Stewie seemed to sniff the air curiously, and tossed his head. "Yes, I believe so!" 

The mare nodded. "Very well!" She began to neigh loudly. "To arms, to arms! Our riders need us!" 

Instantly, all the other mounts looked alert as well; even Rosso and Murphy stopped their bickering and stood at attention. 

And as their riders ran to them, so to ride into battle, their mounts went forth into battle as well.

END 

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I think the last line is kind of weak, but oh, well... Obviously, I took some artistic license in naming those mounts who are never actually named in the game. 

And in case you're wondering, here's a listing of whose mount belongs to who (marked mounts are named in-game): 

Verde - Sain (Verde means green in Italian)  
Rosso - Kent (Rosso means red in Italian)  
Rowenie - Lowen  
Sarge - Marcus  
Lenore - Isadora 

Duchess - Priscilla  
Lone Wolf - Rath 

Huey' - Florina  
Murphy' - Farina  
Stewie - Fiora 

Hyperion' - Heath  
Umbriel' - Vaida 


End file.
